Road vehicle door construction



C. H. MAY v ROAD VEHICLE DOOR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed March 17, 1951 Aug. 18, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l Bu- 1 P 439 h y mi av Aug. 18, 1959 c. H. MAY

ROAD VEHICLE DOOR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed March 17. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m W a m; 0%? a 1 y y e z 6 Unit Stew a el ROAD VEHICLE noon CONSTRUCTION Claude H. May, Detroit, Mich., assiguor to The Murray I Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Original application March 17, 1951, Serial No. 216,182, -now Patent No. 2,778,656, dated January 22, 1957. Divided and this application January 22, 1957, Serial 6 Claims. (Cl. 296-47) This invention relates to doors for vehicles, and particularly to a sliding door for closing the opening in the sides of the body thereof, more fully illustrated in applicants copending application Serial No. 216,182, filed March 17, 1951, now Patent No. 2,778,656, of which this application is a division.

One object of the invention is to provide a sliding door for a vehicle with simple supporting means which permits the door to be slid to open and closed positions while being curved in both the horizontal and vertical planes.

- Another object of the invention is to provide a sliding door with closing means which draws the door inwardly at right angles to the direction of its sliding movement for engaging a sealing element about the edge of the door'opening to seal the door to the door opening when in closed position.

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will be specifically pointed out or will become apparent when referring, for a better understanding of the invention, to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a broken view in side elevation of a. vehicle body having a door thereon embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line 2--2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2, taken on the line 33 thereof;

Fig. 4 is a view of'the structure illustrated in Fig. 2, showing the door in open position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line 55 thereof;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 5, taken on the line 6-6 thereof, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the carriage illustrated in Fig. 3 which stabilizes the upper portion of the door.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7, a vehicle body 10 is illustrated as having a door opening 11 defined by a rear jamb 12 and a forward j amb 13. A floor 14 terminates in a sloping edge 15 across a recess at the door opening which is filled by a floor section 16 of the door 17 when the door is in closed position. In the present arrangement, the door is illustrated as being fiat but it is to be understood that the door curves both in the vertical and horizontal planes, following the conventional shape of vehicle doors which are hinged in the body opening. The sliding of the door along the edge 15 produces a straight movement thereto which simplifies the supporting structure even when the door is curved in vertical and horizontal planes. The arrangement is such that the track is sealed against the weather and the door is sealed to the body when in closed position.

The door consists of a rectangular body portion 21 forming a well 22 for the reception of a window 23 which is movable upwardly and downwardly in a vertical plane. The door also carries a ventilating window 24 which is swingable on a mounting pivot in the conventional manflce ner. The rectangular body portion 21 of the door has the floor portion 16 secured thereto, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. The floor portion has a sloping edge disposed parallel to the edge 15 of the floor 14, the edge portion 23 of which extends between upper rollers 24 and bottom rollers 25, the latter being supported on a closure panel 26 which is secured to the under side of the floor and to the sill element 27. Spaced rollers 28 are mounted above the sill element 27 on which the bottom portion 21 of the door and the floor portion 16 are supported for rolling movement. A rubber sealing strip 29 is mounted in a rabbet 31 about the door opening, the strip being of tubular construction or made of sponge rubber so asto be compacted when engaged by the lip portion 32 disposed about the edge of the door.

To provide stability for the upper portion of the door, especially when moved rearwardly to open position, a track 33 is secured within the bottom portion 21 of the door. The track has upper V runs 34 and lower V runs 3 5 between which V-shaped wheels 36 are disposed for.

rolling engagement. The wheels 36 are mounted on a bar 37 on the end of a flexible metal strap 38 which is preferably of arch section to provide greater rigidity thereto. The strap rolls about a barrel-shaped roller 39 having a worm wheel 41 provided on the central portion thereof engaged by a Worm 42 on the end of a shaft 43'. A plurality of pins 44 mounted adjacent to the ends of the roller 39 extend through openings 45 along the opposite edges of the strap 38 for positively controlling its movement outwardly and inwardly of the body. This movement is controlled by the rotation of the shaft 43 by the spool 46 when driven by a cable 47, several turns of which are wound thereabout to prevent slippage. The ends of the cable 47 are attached to fingers 48 at the forward and rearward edges of the floor portion 16 of the door inwardly of the rollers 24 within the cover panel 26.

' As the door is moved between the rollers, the cable is portion'32 at the door edge to engage the rubber sealing advanced to turn the spool 46 in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the door to produce the outward or inward movement of the wheels 36 and the adjacent portion of the strap 38 in conformity to the rearward or forward movement of the door, respectively. Through the synchronized movement of the band 38, the rollers are positioned from the body the same distance as the door has moved outwardly or inwardly to thereby positively retain it in vertical position at all times.

' It will be noted that the track 33 is supported in a channel element 49 which is secured in the bottom portion 21 of the door for movement toward and from the front and rear panels thereof. Rearwardly sloping slots 51 are provided in the upper and lower flanges of the channel element 49 in which headed rivets 52 are mounted when extending through the slots and secured to the track 33. It will be noted that when the track is moved forwardly, the channel element 49 and therefore the door will have moved inwardly to cause the lip strip 29 and positively seal the door within the opening. When the track 33 is moved to the rear, the rivets 52 operating in the slots 51 will cause the door to move outwardly to have the lip portion 32 of the door disengage the sealing strip 29 and permit the door to be slid to open position without tearing or otherwise damaging the seal material. A latch 54, which is secured within the bottom portion 21 of the door on a pivot 55, has an upwardly projecting finger 56 which is secured I by apivot 57 to the forward end of the track 33. A

spring 58 urges the latch 54 clockwise into latched position and the track 33 forwardly to cause the door to move inwardly into sealed position. An operating handle 59 may extend from the pivot 55 for producing the operation of the latch 54. A counterclockwise movee 2 2,900,207 l V W ment of the latch 54 will shift the track 33 to the left and thereby move the door outwardly and disengage the lip portion 32 thereof from the sealing strip 29. When the operator grasps the handle 59 to release the latch. 54,. an auxiliary handle 61, if provided on the. car, may also be grasped. to assist in moving the door rearwardly to uncover the opening 11 in the vehicle body. A handle similar to handle 59 mounted on the inside of the door will release the latch 54 and permit the door to be pulled to the rear from the inside of the vehicle. When the door is in closed position, a tab 59 at the lower rear edge covers the opening at the intersection.

of the closure panel 26 with the side of the body.

It will thus be seen that by employing the straight track 15, the door may be slid rearwardly to uncover the opening 11 irrespective of the contour of the door in both the vertical and horizontal planes. This arrangement is made possible through the addition of a triangular section of the floor to the door which has a straight edge mated with the straight edge along. the recess at the door opening. To provide stability for the upper portion of the door, a carriage embodying the plurality of rollers is carried by the rear pillar adjacent to the belt line to move outwardly as the door moves outwardly to engage a track, to thereby stabilize the upper portion of the door through the movement of the track across the roller of the carriage. The track is so movable relative to a supporting channel element as to pull the door inwardly when the track is advanced forwardly at the time the door is latched, to thereby move the lip portion at the door edge against a compressible sealing strip about the door opening, to positively seal the door when in closed position. This seal is broken by the outward movement of the door prior to its sliding movement to the rear of the door opening.

What is claimed is: 1

1. In a vehicle body having a cutaway side portion forming a door opening in a vertical plane offset in wardly at one edge from the outer surface of the body, a door, having at its lower end an inwardly extending portion of triangular cross section which is matable in said opening, relatively movable supporting means di rectly interconnecting the body and the lower end portion of the door, and means at one point of the body for. supporting the upper portion of the door in a manner permitting the door to move laterally relative thereto.

2. in a vehicle body having a cutaway side portion forming a door opening in a vertical plane with the adjacent floor section offset inwardly at one edge from the outer surface of the body, a door, a floor portion of triangular cross section matable in said offset portion at the opening and secured to the door, relatively movable supporting means directly interconnecting the floor and the floor portion of the door, and outwardly movable means in the upper portion of the body connected to the upper portion of the door in a manner permitting the door to move laterally thereof.

3. In a vehicle body having a cutaway side portion forming a door opening in a vertical plane with the adjacent floor section offset inwardly at one edge from the outer surface of the body, a door, a floor portion of triangular cross section matable in said oifset portion at the opening and secured to the door, relatively movable supporting means directly interconnecting the floor and the floor portion of the door, a flexible band supported in the body for movement outward thereof, rollers on said band, and roller engaging means on the door for permitting the door to move laterally of the band while being supported thereby.

4. In a vehicle body having a cutaway side portion forming a door opening in a vertical plane with the adjacentfloor section offset inwardly at one edge from the outer surface of the body, a door, a floor portion of. triangular cross section matable in said oliset portionat. the opening and secured to the door, relatively movable supporting means directly interconnecting the floor and the door portion of the door, a flexible band supported in the body for movement outward thereof, rollers on said band, roller. engaging means on the door for permitting the door to move laterally of the band while being supported thereby, and means actuated by the opening movement of. said door for advancing the band outwardly of the body..

5. In a vehicle body having a floor andv spaced jambs. forming a door opening, the floor at the door opening being recessed rearwardly to have. the inner edge. straight. and sloping outwardly through one jarnb. to the outer body surface, a. door, an angular floor section secured to.- the door for filling said recess and having a straightedge, matable with the straight. edge of the floor at the: recess, cooperating slide meansinterconnecting the straight. edges. of the floor of the body and the door section, support. means in the body capable of moving outwardly thereof, and means interconnecting the upper portionof the. door to said support means in a manner to permit the. movement of the door laterally thereof while being supported thereby.

6. Ina vehicle body having a floor and spaced jambs forming a door opening, the floor at the door opening, being recessed rearwardly to have the inner edge straight. and sloping outwardly through one jamb to the outer body surface, a door, an angular floor section secured: to the door for filling said recess and having astraight. edge. matable with the straight edge of the floor at the recess, cooperating slide means interconnecting the straight edgesv of the fioor of. the body and the door section, support means for the. door at the top of'the body, and means interconnecting the upper portion of the door tosaid supporting means in a manner to permit the movement of. the door along a line parallel to said straight edge whereby the door is moved to open and closed position in. a. single straight line movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain May 2-8, 1937 

